Pendant Lights

I love pendants, and while I wouldn’t be averse to someone adorning my neck with Tiffany, I mean pendant lights. Replacing boring light fixtures with suspension lamps instantly transforms a room, and I recommend experimenting with them in your home. You can use one as a feature piece, or use several to stunning effect. To give you some ideas, I have compiled a list of some of my favourite pendant lights.

The first is the iconic and award-winning Semi pendant light, created by Danish architects Claus Bonderup and Torsten Thorup for Gubi. The curved semi-circle lamp creates a uniquely shaped pool of light, and its simple silhouette makes it a timeless piece. It is little wonder then that it is just as popular now as it was when it was first designed in 1967. In addition to the classic matte black and white, it also comes in glossy blue-grey and glossy orange -- great for injecting a pop of colour into your room. Hang one over the coffee table, or several over the dining table to create a bit of intrigue. 

Although pendant lights work anywhere, they really shine (pun intended) used over worktops and breakfast bars. Another iconic design, Splugen Brau, was also designed in the 1960s but remains the perfect complement to a modern kitchen. Crafted from polished aluminium, its thick ribbed body looks like a modernist beehive and adds a touch of finesse to work surfaces and counter-tops. Alternatively, mix period and modern styles and place next to old or vintage furniture for a wonderfully rich contrast.

Smaller pendant lights, such as the Romeo Babe range for Flos, are much more subtle but equally gorgeous. Lined up in a row of three or four, these look great in the kitchen.

My personal favourite however has to be the Can-Can Mini pendant designed by the Dutch design maestro Marcel Wanders, also for Flos. Wanders is known for his imaginative creations and the Can-Can doesn’t disappoint. Underneath the clean and simple lines of the shade, peeks an intricately decorated filigree diffuser --just like a Can-Can dancer kicking her legs to reveal a lacy petticoat. The lighting effect is beautifully soft and delicate, and adds romance to any part of the home.